Tracing and testing will be expanded
Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - The City Government of Yogyakarta has taken several steps as a precautionary measure against the spread of the Omicron variant by increasing contact tracing.

"Tracing and testing will be expanded. Maybe the figure has more than doubled the standard number for contact tracing," an official from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force of Yogyakarta Heroe Poerwadi stated here, Wednesday.

Poerwadi noted that since the number of COVID-19 cases in Yogyakarta was relatively low, contact tracing can be conducted more freely. If a local chain of transmission is suspected, then the area will be isolated immediately.

"The next step, which is the most important one, is to keep implementing health protocols in daily activities," he remarked.

Poerwadi asserted that the task force had so far not found any Omicron case in Yogyakarta.

"Some time ago, there was a report of suspected (Omicron) transmission after six people in one family were confirmed positive for COVID-19. We have sent the samples to the laboratory for whole-genome sequencing (WGS) examination," he noted.

However, the reports have not been issued, as the laboratory examination takes around two weeks, he added.

Poerwadi noted that the samples would be examined in the laboratory if rapid transmission is suspected in a certain area or location.

Hence, the examination is not conducted based on whether a person has just traveled from abroad, he added

The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Indonesia in March 2020. According to data provided by the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, as of January 5, 2022, at least 4,264,136 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the country, while 4,115,149 people have recovered, and 144,109 people have succumbed to the virus.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the first case of the Omicron variant on December 16, 2021.

On Wednesday, January 5, 2022, the ministry's spokesperson, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, confirmed 92 additional confirmed Omicron cases in Indonesia, thereby bringing the total case count to 254, comprising 239 imported cases and 15 cases due to local transmission.

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Translator: Eka Arifa, Raka Adji
Editor: Sri Haryati
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